Decorative electrical lighting system



y 22, 19.62 R. s. HOL-BROOK 3,036,206

DECORATIVE ELECTRICAL LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 26, 1960 l INVENTOR.

s r! 8 ROBERT s. 01. ROCK I 4 f 22 2 BY IS ATTORN 5 =2; 3 SI United States Patent 3,036,206 DECORATIVE ELECTRICAL LIGHTING SYSTEM Robert S. Holbrook, 239 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah Filed Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,758 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-) The present invention relates to decorative electrical lighting systems for use with Christmas trees, for example, and, more particularly, to a new and improved decorative electrical lighting system of the type described in which a plurality of light strings may be physically secured and electrically connected to a novel mounting ring such that the light strings may be supported by and advantageously depend from upper region of the associated Christmas tree.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a decorative electrical lighting system for use with Christmas trees, which system will exhibit a single input circuit, a plurality of output circuits or lighting strings, and a mounting ring conveniently mountable to the top stem of the Christmas tree and self-containing means for receiving and distributing electrical current from the input circuit of the system to the several output circuits thereof.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a decorative electrical lighting system of the type described wherein the mounting ring thereof is of novel construction, by virtue of which the cost of manufacture thereof and of the system is materially reduced.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a decorative electrical lighting system wherein the mounting ring thereof includes electrical distributive means which is self-contained within the ring and sealed from the exterior thereof.

According to the present invention a decorative electrical lighting system utilizes a pair of input electrical conductors having a conventional electrical plug, a plurality of light strings including one or more light sockets which, if more than one, are connected in parallel to the electrical distributive juncture of the mounting ring, and a novel ring providing both electrical connection of the input circuit with the several output circuits (and also physical connection therefor) in such a manner as to isolate all electrical junctures of the system from regions exterior to the body of the mounting ring proper. In practice, the mounting ring includes a cylindrical mounting tube upon which spaced, ring-configured conductive plates are mounted. Preferably, the lowermost plate is provided with apertures for admitting conductors to be connected to the uppermost plate of the combination. Additionally, both plates include suflicient apertures for receiving the necessary electrical leads to put the several output circuits in parallel with the input circuit of the system. Preferably, soldering is employed to solder the several electrical leads of the output circuit and also the two conductors of the input circuit to the two, ring-like plates of the mounting ring and at the several apertures thereof.

The term light string comprehends not only strings with several sockets and associated lights but also the situation where but a single light is used as in the case of a tree wreath, hereinafter to be described; in the case of a plurality of single light strings as in a tree wreath, for example, strings are additionally referred to as socket connections for the several individual sockets.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the -appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be under- 3,036,206 Patented May 22, 1962 ICC stood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged, perspective view of the mounting ring of the present invention, minus its conventionally employed plastic casing which will usually be integral with the rest of the mounting ring structure.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, of reduced size when compared to FIGURE 1, of the mounting ring of the present invention when the casing is included.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of a star wreath utilizing the present invention.

FIGURE 3A is a reduced plan of the device shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of the decorative electrical system of the present invention wherein a system exhibits.

both a star wreath and also separate strings of lights.

incorporating the present invention wherein strings of lights (i.e., minus the star wreath) are employed.

In FIGURE 1 the basic structure of the mounting ring 10, minus its non-conductive casing, is shown to include a mounting tube 11, a spacer tube 12 disposed coaxially thereover, conductive plates 13 and 14 which abut the spacer tube 12 at opposite ends thereof, and a pair of retainer rings 15 which frictionally engage mounting tube 11 and which operate to retain conductive plates 13 and 14 in desired disposition preparatory to introducing the structure in FIGURE 1 into a mold, for example, for receiving its casing. It is seen in FIGURE 1 that the mounting tube 11 exhibits a central aperture A which is adapted to receive the top stem of a Christmas tree T as shown at A in FIGURE 2.

The conductive plates 13 and 14 will generally take the form of rings or apertured discs (hereinafter to be referred to as plate rings) and are provided with a plurality of apertures B and C, respectively. The purpose for apertures B is to receive electrical leads 16 so that the latter may be soldered thereat as shown. Also, electrical conductor 17 (which with electrical conductor 18 secured to input plug 19) is also secured to one of the apertures B in plate ring 13.

Correspondingly, the remaining leads 20 of pairs 21 of the several light strings 22 are secured to the plate ring 14 at corresponding apertures C, again by means of soldered connections.

It will be noted that there are many more, in fact, twice as many apertures C in plate ring 14 than there are apertures B in the plate ring 13. This is in order that the additional apertures C may accommodate electrical leads 2.0 and alsoelectrical leads 16, the latter passing through the selected apertures C to their mounting positions on plate ring 13. Accordingly, a very compact, mounting ring construction may be obtained.

Once securement has been completed as illustrated in FIGURE 1, the assembly is introduced into a mold, and material such as rubber or suitable thermoplastic, for example, is introduced therein so as to provide a non-conductive casing 23, the latter sealing the plate rings 13 and 14 and all of the associated electrical connections from the exterior. Thus, we have a self-contained, sealed unit accommodating the several light strings 2.2 containing lights L.

The light strings 22 are designated such even though they might each contain, conceivably, but one light socket S. This is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 3A wherein a star wreath is shown in elevation view. In this connection, the light strings 22 shall be designated as socket connections 22., these directly connecting to the terminals of the socket and leading into the body or interior of mounting ring 10.

FIGURE 4 illustrates that the light strings 22 in FIG- URE 1 may in fact consist of a pair of electrical leads 21 having a plurality of light sockets S, "vllhich plurality may include an individual star lights 5 and conventional lights L, the former being'disposed adjacent the mounting ring FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4'Wlth the exception that the light stars S and their associated sockets are removed from the severalligbt strings ,22.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art'that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover allsuch changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Iclaim:

l. A decorative electrical lighting systemincluding, in combination, a plurality of light strings each having at least one light socket and a pair of electrical leads connected to said socket; a mounting ring including a mounting tube adapted for placement over the top stern of a Christmas tree, a pair of conductive plates mounted upon said mounting tube and disposed in'fixed, mutually spaced relationship, one of each pairiof'said electrical leads being connected to one of said plates, and the remaining leads of each of said pairs being connected to the remaining plate; a first input conductor electrically coupled'to one of said'plates of said mounting ring; a second input conductor electrically coupled to the remaining plate of said mounting ring; and an electrical plug connected to said first and second input conductors and adapted for coupling to a source of electrical energy, said mounting ring including a spacer tube disposed over and about said mounting tube and between said plates, spacing the latter, and wherein said mounting ring also includes a pair of retainer rings mounted upon and frictionally engaging said mounting tube, each retainer ring retaining its respective plate against said spacer tube during fabrication of said mounting ring, and a non-conductive casing disposed over said plates, mounting tu'be, rings, and the electrical connections thereof, said casing defining the outer contour of said mounting ring.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein each of said plates comprise rings, each ofsaid plate rings having a plurality of apertures, the electrical leads connected to the lowermost one or said plate rings being secured thereto at selected apertures thereof, and the electrical leads connected to the remaining plate ring passing first through said lowermost one of said plate rings, through selected ones of the remaining apertures of said lowermost one of said plate rings, and then being secured to selected ones of the apertures of said remaining plate ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

